free trade
- noun
- /fri treɪd/
- The country established a system of free trade that allowed goods to move without tariffs.
- a free trade agreement
- free trade agreement (FTA)
- free trade negotiations
I don't think that Trump has greatly undone free trade there.
- I don't think that Trump has greatly undone free trade there.
- We were told we were joining a, a free trade area called the Common Market, good for jobs.
- In fact, if you look at polls, they show a declining trend for support for free trade in the West.
- We need to open it up and and for the good of our people, we want to have as much free trade as possible.
- They believe in unfettered free trade.
- And now both political parties, but especially Trump and company, have really pushed back against free trade.
- The ACT requires that cars be built in North America and source materials and components from countries with US free trade agreements.
- It turns out that free trade has much the same characteristics.
- Look, I think that at the end of the day, like free trade is actually really good.
- Free speech, free movement, free trade, it's all part of the same.
- Mutts's talk will take a sharp look at the free trade controversy.
- Biltz described the path toward the free trade agreement and the Eastern Partnership.
- A common criticism of free trade is that will induce child labor.
- And move that over to free trade countries.
Examples
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Today we see the possibility of free trade agreements with Mexico and other Latin American countries.
Academic text (1991) -
The Danish model squares another circle by reconciling free trade with economic security.
Academic text (2008) -
Well, where did you find the big support in the world for free trade from Britain?
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Europe Europe has a responsibility to stand up for free trade in the interests of all our citizens.
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This is free trade between nations.
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Indeed, Mexico appears prepared to go farther, faster on some free trade issues than Canada was.
Academic text (1991) -
There are three specific reasons why a U.S.-Mexico free trade agreement makes good sense for both countries.
Academic text (1991) -
My Government intends to work towards a new partnership with the European Union based on free trade and friendly cooperation.
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Free trade between the states, new laws, good thing for all Australians.
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If we look at the situation before free trade, Canada already admitted, duty-free, some 65%.
Academic text (1991)
Antonyms
A government policy that helps local businesses by making foreign goods more expensive or limiting imports
How Open
- Specialized
- Formal
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'trade without government restrictions' is transparently built from 'free' (without constraints) + 'trade' (buying and selling). Although 'free' can also mean 'at no cost', the collocation 'free trade' follows a clear compositional pattern and has direct equivalents in many languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents can infer the intended sense.
Etymology
Free trade gives a simple picture: traders meeting with no fences or tax collectors between them. Free means 'without limits' and trade means 'buying and selling', so it means 'trade without government restrictions', for example no taxes on imports or limits on the amount of goods.